Old Bridge High School senior Ashlyn Rowe, 18, center, fills out a Jenkinson's employment application with hopes of working at the aquarium during a job fair today in Point Pleasant Beach. Andrew Mills/The Star-Ledger

POINT PLEASANT BEACH — Just like in previous years, hundreds of people roamed around Jenkinson’s Pavilion restaurant today for the business’ annual job fair, organizers said.

The setup was the usual: managers from the different shops on Jenkinson’s Boardwalk sat at tables spread throughout the dining area and spoke one-on-one with job applicants.

The mood, however, was far from normal. It’s been just four months since Hurricane Sandy obliterated areas surrounding the Point Pleasant Beach business, and some people said there was a sense of uncertainty about the first summer in the storm’s aftermath.

“This year is just tricky,” said Chris Stewart, a human resources director for Jenkinson’s. “There are almost no rentals now – the storm pretty much wiped out those homes – and we’re not sure how many people will have money to spend here.”

Whatever happens, Jenkinson’s wants to be ready.

With plans to hire some 300 people to man its rides, arcades, shops and restaurants, Jenkinson’s Boardwalk finished its annual open call for job applications today, drawing about 400 people on the event’s first day on Feb. 23 and about 500 today.

The job opportunities were limited to Jenkinson’s positions, and the pay is expected to be between $5.50 and $8 an hour. Even so, the fair drew some applicants who weren’t the typical high school or college student searching for summer jobs.

Laurence Munn, a 43-year-old cook with a couple of decades of experience, went from table to table looking for a management position or a job in security.

“It’s tough to find a job right now,” said Munn, of Point Pleasant Beach, who has been searching for a job for nine months. “Companies are just saying, ‘Things are slow.’ You have to take what you can get.”

Today’s turnout, while in line with the average, was short of the 1,100 attendees seen last year, said Christine Karaska, an employment specialist with the state Department of Labor who helped with the event that has been held at the restaurant every year since 1999. A reason for the drop could be that many people don’t realize Jenkinson’s is open again, Stewart said.

Joshua Cooper, 18, of Brick, said he hoped that will boost his chances of being hired. Just an hour into the job fair, the teen had already applied for seven positions, including ride operator, parking attendant and candy shop employee, he said.

“I’m thinking the competition won’t be as crowded,” he said.

Stewart said most of Jenkinson’s is now up and running, with the exception of one arcade and the southern portion of the boardwalk, which are still being repaired after they were damaged during the storm. Most of the new hires are expected to start by Easter, one of the business’s busiest days, and the business plans to be fully operational by the beginning of summer.

“It’s a victory that we are open and that we are hiring,” said Toby Wolf, company spokeswoman.